Love is hard. It requires a lot of work, patience, and determination. So is rendering a whole, fresh artichoke into some palatable form. But when you really work at it, give it your best, the artichoke can be a delicious surprise — much more than edible, it’s a tiny miracle of complexity and unique charm. So is a relationship after it’s weathered a few storms. Once you peel back all the fuss and layers of each, you’ll find that all that really matters is in the heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day, food lovers. I thought I’d make the most aphrodisiac, date-worthy dish du jour. Asking so many people what they think qualifies for this on my podcast, Let’s Eat In, over the years, quite a few have turned the question back around at me. I usually stammer and dodge it, except on this particular holiday, through recipes on this blog.